Sailing into the open seas is about to get a breath of fresh air for those who enjoy the hands-on gaming experience on a cruise ship. Carnival Cruise Line is leading the way by expanding its smoke-free offerings to more ships within its fleet, creating an environment that is both fun and cleaner for passengers.
The gentle sea breeze on a Carnival ship’s deck might be the only wisps of smoke that some passengers will encounter on their journey, courtesy of the enhanced smoke-free spaces in a significant number of shipboard casinos. As if imagination put a broom to the Carnival Jubilee’s smoke-free casino room, the place has been swabbed clean of ashtrays and the lingering smell of smoke that once inhabited the air. Rather than an isolated case, a Carnival representative affirmed this week that ten of the company’s luxurious liners are providing smoke-free casinos.
As the brand ambassador for Carnival Cruise Line, John Heald plays a pivotal role in shaping the company’s image and was instrumental in announcing this refreshing change. He confirmed that three of the company’s newest vessels – Carnival Jubilee, Carnival Celebration, and Mardi Gras – have also hopped aboard the novel concept of nonsmoking casinos. A unique, smoke-free gaming experience awaits the cruisers not only on these three ships but also on the six others already offering smoke-free alternatives. These include Carnival Firenze, Carnival Venezia, Carnival Vista, Carnival Dream, Carnival Magic, and Carnival Breeze, where a smoke-free ambience pleasantly welcomes every visitor to the casino area.
The trend of smoke-free casinos is catching wind amongst most of the major cruise operators. Last year, Royal Caribbean, second in size only to Carnival Corporation, converted its jazz clubs into gaming rooms where smoking has been shown the gangway. The company’s six Oasis class ships are now featuring smoke-free casinos, abandoning their old “Jazz on 4” lounges to the smoke-free wave.
Heald made it clear to passengers that smoking is prohibited in certain areas of the ship, including staterooms and stateroom balconies. Fires are considered dangerous threats at sea, and smoking out in the open, in controlled conditions, remains a safe course of action for those looking to light up. Carnival, keeping the safety and convenience of its guests in mind, has set up designated outdoor areas where smoking is permissible.
As a deterrent to those who might consider smoking illicitly, Heald imposed a potential penalty of an immediate $500 fine if caught, followed by possible debarkation and a ban from future sailing with Carnival. To further enforce the restriction, Carnival allows guests an anonymous tip line to report any violations, including those related to tobacco vapes. Carnival stood firm on the prohibition of cannabis on commercial cruise ships, citing federal laws.
Shedding light on the dire consequences of onboard fires, Andrew Winston, a South Florida lawyer who specializes in cruise ship accidents, stated that fire-related mishaps touch a small number of crew members and passengers. However, owing to the leniency offered in terms of accident reporting to cruise lines registered overseas, reliable statistics on such accidents are scarce.
Within Carnival’s ships, the primary casinos are the only indoor places where smoking is allowed, and that too only for those engaged in actively gambling, either at a slot machine or table game. The line has emphasized that smoking at the casino’s bar or while standing is off-limits, and smoking cigars and tobacco pipes fall under the same ban. The only permissible areas for these are the designated outdoor areas.
The smoke-free casinos must remain so, even more strictly, when they aren’t in operation while docked or not yet in international waters. He further revealed that many casinos serve a dual purpose as muster stations during the embarkation process. This exciting new measure is essentially reinventing the cruise experience for gaming enthusiasts and amplifying the allure of the sea voyage.
